#kid you are so right he is annoying. kill him. come on!!! SAKAZUKI DIE!!!! they just wanna make me mad atp... ALSO WHERE IS ROBIN?? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

petite-neko · 7 years

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Boyhood Blues - 09

Fanfiction: Boyhood Blues Story Summary: Actions, and inactions, have their repercussions. It may not be immediate but somewhere down the line, the effect will be seen. Chapter Characters: Ace, Sabo, Luffy, Law, Marco Pairing: LawLu Rating: T Warnings: Swearing, Universe Alteration, canon-typical violence, angst, A/N: Dear god. My apologies. I was too preoccupied with Stability and then my Birthday weekend and then I was just overwhelmed by over socialising AND THIS FUCKER WAS TOO FUCKING LONG. SERIOUSLY. ITS 11 FULL FUCKING PAGES AND THE ORIGINAL WAS JUST SHY OF 7. I go die now and potentially work on Stability 3

PS: This is an emotionally charged chapter!

.xxx. > Time/scene skip

.+++. > PoV change

Read on Ao3

Chapter 8 || Chapter 9: Trapped || Interlude

Being a dead man was boring, Ace decided.

It was more boring than waiting for your public execution in the metaphorical hell. Because, then, at least the public knew that you were still alive. At least they were waiting to see you one last, gruesome time.

The whole world knew.

Granted, the contrast between then and now was quite prevalent. Now? He had freedom – even if it was limited in a sense. He could actually move and walk and talk with his brothers and sisters. He wasn’t weighed down by the sense of the sea. He could laugh and eat and…

But only behind closed doors.

He couldn’t fight. He couldn’t train. He couldn’t even see the light of day. No. Not until he was healed.

He didn’t know which was worse. To be completely denied freedom, or have it tangible on his tongue but just out of reach.

Because the world thought him dead, and it was better that way. Better to be thought dead than to be hunted and defenceless and alive.

(He promised Luffy after all…)

It didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying, or it didn’t irritate the hell out of him. It didn’t mean his heart didn’t ache as he heard the sounds of battle and his brothers and sisters were potentially getting hurt. It didn’t mean he wasn’t pissed as hell because his goal was to be infamous, and he couldn’t do that while dead. His life was on a halt until his body could recover…

Sure, Luffy knew. Sure, his crewmates knew but…

(He wondered: did Gramps know? What about Dadan?)

He doubted it.

(Honestly, it was probably for the best. Gramps couldn’t keep secrets worth shit, and if Sakazuki found out the possibility that he was alive? The witch hunt would never cease. Just like Law said. Ugh, just thinking about that lava bastard gave him shivers.)

Ace sighed and placed his hand on his bandaged abdomen. He could still remember the pain as Sakazuki’s fist went through him. (And the yells and cries and screams of those all around him.) Sure, he wasn’t at death’s doorstep anymore, but it didn’t mean he was out of his yard. The doctor still hadn’t cleared him ready for combat as of yet. And while he protested and mocked Law when they were alone on his submarine, Ace wasn’t stupid. He was lucky to avoid dying that day. That if it weren’t for a misdirecting blow and Law’s immediate medical attention, he wouldn’t be breathing right now. He still had a long ways before he could even consider thinking about training, never mind an actual battle in the New World.

He hadn’t seen Law since the day that he had returned to his crew. Of course while they had strongly suspected that he was alive, with everything that Law had been saying, they still doubted. The reunion was very tearful before Law had explained the charade they were pulling, and the benefits of it all. Then Law went to have a very long discussion with the doctors.

And before that? Well, that was years ago. If he recalled, Luffy was… what? Nine years old, and he was twelve? (How much older was Law than them? He couldn’t remember actually.)

To be honest, he didn’t like Law at first. He was too broody. Too quiet. Too sullen. (Too like himself.) There just was this seriousness about him, not to mention how cold he had been. But eventually he softened out a bit. Enough for Ace to respect him. Not to mention… well... Aside from his constant complaining of Luffy’s crying, he didn’t make any comments when Ace broke down himself.

If Law had ever gotten his nose out of those books, they probably would have made good friends eventually.

But Law had left before that ever happened, and, if Ace was honest with himself, he was glad that never happened. Because by leaving, Law had been their lighthouse, even if the guy didn’t intend it.

Trafalgar Law had shown them the way out of that shore surrounded by rocks. Well, maybe not the exact path, but he showed that there was a way. Somewhere. And they just had to find it.

He knew Luffy admired Law. But Luffy was prone to finding people he idolised. There was Shanks, for example, and there were other things that left his little brother in awe. Sure, Ace didn’t know much about Law, but… he liked him. And now the guy had saved their lives.

And what the future held? Well, it would most certainly be something. Especially when Luffy finished training…

“Hey, what are you…”

“You can’t…”

“…Off limits…”

There was a bunch of chaos outside, and Ace could hear the scuffles above him, and confident steps walking towards the hatch that was the entrance to his… voluntary confinement.

And so he reached over, grabbing the weapon that was beside him. Risk be damned, he wasn’t going down without a fight!

(“And don’t even think about using your logia abilities for the first few months! The last thing you need is for all my hard work to be undone because your body can’t figure out what goes where.”)

Damn it. Damn it all! Had somebody suspected that he wasn’t actually dead? Or… were they insisting on entering the space that he had claimed as his for whatever reason?

At the very least self defence was a permitted last resort. He wasn’t going to sit there and be killed…

“Relax.” That was Marco’s voice booming out. He muttered something else that Ace didn’t quite catch before continuing. “What are you doing here?”

He heard another voice that sounded strangely familiar and yet he couldn’t recall ever hearing it before…

“Can I not come and see how he’s doing? Promise I won’t hurt him.”

Ace could hear Marco sigh before the hatch opened, and the beam of natural light shone down. It made him wince a bit, not accustomed to it at all. God, he hated being cooped up like this but they had to go on the move again, and they were vulnerable at sea, and nobody was to know that he was alive…

“Must be boring down here.” That mysteriously familiar voice spoke again as he jumped down. “At least you have some semblance of light.” He said, referring to the artificial lighting around the room. It was dim. Enough to not rouse suspicion.

The man before him wore blue, and he had this stupid hat on his head, a scar on the left side of his face. As the hatch was closed, Ace noticed the man’s hair was blond and…

Oh. Ace recognised him now. Yes, he saw this man once.

This was the man who saved his life.

“So,” Ace said, relaxing a bit and put down the weapon he had grabbed for himself within reach, “you’re the person who my idiotic little brother gave my vivre card to.”

To be honest? He hadn’t heard much about him. Why he never asked Luffy or Law about him, he didn’t know. Probably too busy catching up with Law? And mulling on the fact that he had to pretend to be dead. All he knew was that this guy was a revolutionary and his name was…

The revolutionary nodded, leading against the wall with his right arm. The left one sat on his hip casually. “Sabo. And, hey, that’s not a nice thing to say about somebody who broke into the world’s most secure prison to save you.”

Ace shrugged. “I’m not lying.” And laughed. “If anything, that proves he’s even more of an idiot.” But softly and carefully, his flesh and muscles were still tender beneath the bandages.

And Sabo laughed as well. “True enough. But that kid will do anything for those he cares about.”

Introductions aside… just what was he doing here? Hell, he had a lot of questions for him actually. Like, who was he? Why did he come to the war? What was his purpose?

Did he have ultimatums?

And was that a fucking pipe at his back?

“You look like you have a lot of questions on your mind, Portgas D. Ace. Go ahead, ask them.”

Ace had turned his gaze back up to his face and glared, only to see the sincere smile on his face. Sabo hadn’t made the comment in mockery, and the guy had been serious when he used his name, even though the world knew just what blood ran through his veins…

Seriously, who was his guy?

“Well, what are you doing here, first of all? Come to collect on a debt or something?”

With those words Ace’s eyes narrowed and he fingered the weapon at his side as a warning.

And Sabo? He smiled, not at all intimidated by Ace’s threat. “Unfortunately not.” His eyes were soft, glinting in this mischievous, playful manner that seemed familiar to him. “I can understand why you think that though. Some stranger coming up to a war that had nothing to do with him, risking his own life while doing so, is rather suspicious after all. No, I haven’t come here for that purpose, Ace, I came because… because I finally remembered something…” Those eyes misted over now, nostalgic. As if he was remembering that thing he just mentioned.

Ace only found himself more confused by that. Especially since Sabo knew just what was bothering him. Although, he supposed anybody would be thinking that…

But for Sabo to not have any ulterior motives? It was baffling to him. Why? Why did Sabo do it? And just what did the revolutionary mean by remembering something?

Did he just simply forget to do something after the war?

“What do you mean by remembering something?” Ace asked, and sure, yeah, maybe he was a bit rude and defensive but… “What the hell do you mean?”

Sabo zoned back into the present and he laughed with a nod. His hand went to adjust his hat, the dim light catching on something…

“Did Luffy or Trafalgar ever tell you why I came to Marineford?”

…Wasn’t that what he was trying to find out here? And he hadn’t even answered his first damn question! What was this? Just telling him to ask questions but not even giving him a full reply... Bastard.

Ace told himself to calm down before he became too aggravated.

“No, I wasn’t told much about you, not that I really asked either. And Luffy was too busy blabbering off about Law or to Law. And Law? He was more concerned that I wouldn’t go and do something he deemed as stupid, and injure myself beyond his repair.”

Sabo laughed again. For a man being interrogated, he was quite carefree, wasn’t he?

“Yeah, he’s really fascinated with Trafalgar, isn’t he? You guys are childhood… acquaintances, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Ace thought back to Luffy and Law and smiled, “something like that. He’s kinda… Luffy’s idol. Well, next to Shanks that is.” He only remembered back to Alabasta when Luffy had showed him Law’s bounty poster.

”Oh! Ace! Ace! Come here!” Luffy was laughing and tugging him along. His eyes were sparkling and Ace could only just wonder just what it was that made Luffy’s eyes sparkle like that.

Luffy had dragged him over to a room on his ship.

“It’s just right here…”

Luffy let go of his arm and started rummaging through a box. He was laughing and grinning. “There! I found it!”

He pulled out a piece of paper. “Look Ace!”

Ace looked at the paper. No… it wasn’t a paper, it was a poster. A wanted poster.

…The face looked vaguely familiar…

He looked down to the name.

Trafalgar Law.

Hah!

Ace found himself laughing.

“So that bastard really did become a pirate!”

“I know! We were right! I knew we were right! Ace! I can’t wait to meet him! Vivi said that her book said he was coming to the Grand Line! Maybe he already did? Hey, hey, Ace, could you see if you could meet him? Please?”

Ace laughed even more. “Sheesh, the last time I saw you this excited was eight years ago. Well, I am on my mission, but I’ll definitely keep my eye out Luffy.”

“Really? Oh thank you Ace! Do you think I’ll meet him? I hope I do….”

Ace rolled his eyes. Who would’ve thought? “I’m sure you will. Pirates tend to run into one another along the line. If the two of you make it through, you’ll definitely be meeting him later, I can guarantee that.”

“Shishishi, I can’t wait Ace!”

That boy…

Sabo smiled softly. “I see…” He was quiet for a short period of time again before startling.

…What was that guy doing?

“Oh! Right, back to what I was saying…”

(Well, he supposed the two of them had gotten lost in their own respective memories…)

“Well, if you think Luffy’s an idiot for trying to save his brother, you’ll think I’m a complete moron.” Laughter left Sabo – that guy liked to laugh a lot, didn’t he? “The moment I read the paper, I snuck into the nearest Marine Base and onto a ship in order to arrive at Marineford or Impel Down. And why?” He was smirking now. “Well I had no fucking clue as to why. Just that I was overwhelmed with this fury and your execution had to be stopped.”

…Well Sabo was correct in that deduction. He was a complete moron. Who the fuck did that? Over a stranger no less!

“…But it was that paper that started something. If it weren’t for that… I may not have ever fully remembered…”

Ace groaned. This guy going off on his tangents was really starting to annoy him…

“Can’t you explain things straight?” He had more questions than answers damn it! And, of course, Sabo was just taking so damn long to answer, which only created even more questions…

Sabo sighed and covered his left eye with the hand that was at his hip. “When I was ten I was in a tragic… incident and lost everything. My name. My memory. My age… I knew nothing of myself. Not who I was, nor who my parents were. Friends, family… it was all gone. The revolutionaries had found me and nursed me back to health. Sabo… that was the only potential hint to my past, since that name was on the belongings they found with me...” He sighed again, and his hand fell down as Sabo looked at it. “…It happened on a small kingdom in East Blue…”

Ace had to admit that he was sceptic to believe Sabo’s story, especially since the guy had started out with when he was ten. Perhaps he meant ten years ago? Because that sounded more plausible, to be honest.

But then Sabo had mentioned a small kingdom in East Blue…

(Of course, Ace wondered about Luffy talking about a Sabo character, but… of course it couldn’t be Sabo. There was no way. It was far more likely that they had just met a person with the same name, the world was a huge place after all…)

And Ace started putting things together. An accident… the guy’s name…

And he stared.

He just had to know…

“…How old are you now?”

(Ten. It happened when he was ten and…)

“Same age as you Ace, twenty.”

No fucking way. There was no fucking way…

(Didn’t Sabo say he had remembered something…? That he now knew his age and…)

There was this metaphorical hole in his stomach that had nothing to do with the literal one that had been there a few months ago. He wanted to hope. Oh how he wanted…

“But,” Sabo was laughing again, “I guess considering what your mother did, you’d definitely be the older brother, wouldn’t you?”

Ace felt the tears leaving him. How? How could he be so happy again? “S-Sabo?” Gods, he wanted it to be true! He looked. He stared. At this man. Trying, trying to find something – anything. Sure… sure, they both had blond hair, and sure they wore stupid hats and wore blue but…

The light flicked again on something on his top hat.

Those glasses…

“Sabo?!”

“Yeah. Goa Kingdom… sake… stealing from bandits and pirates and…” The smile on the other’s face was almost sad. It was so happy that it looked sad. His eyes were watering and –

Ace didn’t give a damn about anything else right now, no. He just jumped up and embraced the other in a tight hug.

Sabo was continuing to blabber on. “…It’s still a blur, and I don’t remember everything but – Ah! Ace! You’re burning me!”

“Ah! Sorry!” And Ace waved away the flame before rubbing the back of his head. “I’m just… I’m so glad Sabo… You’re… you’re alive. You’re you…” There were tears in his eyes as well, but he couldn’t give a damn about that. He stepped back slightly and took a long, good look at his brother. Sabo… Sabo… The smile that was on his face almost hurt, and he placed his hands on the other’s shoulders. They slid down slightly to the side and Ace clutched tightly, feeling his own shoulders trembling.

“We thought you had…” A sob broke through. He could still remember that day… “And when Gramps had heard what happened he… he took us in. Saying something about how dangerous it was and…”

Tears were sliding down his face.

“…Gramps missed you too, ya know? Dadan… Luffy…”

(It hurt. It hurt remembering the agony they had all gone through…)

“Luffy… he – he took it the hardest. And then… when we were stuck with the Marines it… it reminded us of when you left with your parents for our sake. Of just how trapped you were and how unhappy and… I know, I know Gramps didn’t mean to do it but… we felt trapped Sabo. That none of us could obtain our dreams…”

His legs couldn’t support him anymore, and his hands slid from Sabo’s shoulders as he sank to his knees.

“Thank you…. Thank you Sabo… thank you for coming back… Thank you for living.”

A sound notified him of Sabo sinking to his level and he felt arms tightly embrace him.

“Deep down,” he started softly, “I knew who I was. I didn’t truly forget. And seeing you in danger? It triggered something in me. Even though I didn’t remember yet, I couldn’t let my brother die.” Sabo squeezed him tighter for a moment. “And I’m just… I’m so glad that I was able to save you. That… you survived that.”

Ace could feel the way that Sabo trembled as well, and he wrapped his arms around him in return, clutching tightly to his back.

“Even… even when I still didn’t remember… I lost sleep, just staring at your vivre card. I needed to know that you were going to be alright Ace. I needed to see it grow in size…”

There just was something so comforting in the way the two of them trembling in one another’s arms. To know that the other was alive and safe and here.

And when Sabo had calmed down, he pulled away a bit, hands on his shoulders and just looked him in the eyes. “Back then, during the war, I put together the pieces. I figured that I probably was your brother, but I didn’t truly remember. Sometimes… I would have moments where I almost did… where I heard you and Luffy calling out to me as children. I could hear your laughter… foreign voices whispering foreign words…” Sabo was smiling and he let out a gentle sigh and shook his head. “But… I couldn’t… I couldn’t tell either of you. Not when I wasn’t too certain myself, when I didn’t remember. Because I wasn’t the boy you remembered, not really. And I couldn’t do that to either of you. Not until I remembered.”

As Ace thought about being told that, he closed his eyes and nodded. Really, he appreciated it. Luffy had taken it the hardest, and of course being the older brother he had to be there for him but… But it didn’t mean that Sabo’s death hadn’t affected him too. He just hid it and let it out in different ways. And, if he had learned that Sabo might have been alive? The prospect would’ve destroyed him. He wouldn’t have been able to rest until he had gotten an answer one way or another… and if Sabo hadn’t happened to be…

It would be worse than losing him the first time.

“Thank you. For that. For everything.”

Sabo was smiling down at him.

Ace brought his hands up, cupping Sabo’s face and brought their foreheads together.

“Thank you, brother.”

They stayed like that for awhile: just rejoicing in the simple fact that the other was alive.

Eventually, though, they parted and Ace relaxed with a laugh.

“I’m guessing Luffy doesn’t know?”

Sabo shook his head. “Luffy doesn’t have a vivre card. When I finally regained my memories, I decided I’d come to you first since I knew where you were.”

A light laugh left him and he nodded. “He’s decided to train for the New World. After what he’s seen, I must say I don’t blame him. In fact, it’s a really good idea to be prepared and a smart thing for him to do.” His brother had gotten himself far, he had strong friends, but the New World was tough. If Luffy didn’t feel prepared enough, then he should train.

Ace couldn’t back him up after all, and Luffy didn’t know about Sabo, and they didn’t have any way to get a hold of him…

“After all, he’s gained a fair bit of notoriety because of Marineford.” Luffy’s father being revealed to the world… and his actions during the war… then what he did afterwards to insinuate that he was dead… All in all, most definitely things that would earn one a higher bounty. “I was surprised though that they didn’t reveal that we were practically raised by the Marines. Would’ve given them more fuel to the fire…”

“Show.” Sabo answered far too quickly than he would have liked. “Remember, Marineford was broadcasted. If it was revealed that they harboured and raised the demon spawn without knowing, it would have shone a bad light upon them.” Then Sabo laughed. “Not to mention it would be practically publicising that being raised by Marines would make you turn to piracy. There’s, what, one known example already, and if you include Trafalgar and the two of you, that’d make a total of four.”

Ace laughed. “I suppose. And I doubt that Sengoku acknowledged Law on the battleground, or at least more than just stating that Law was there. He didn’t show us much softness after all. Although, who knows… he did raise Law for a few years…”

Sabo nodded. “I suppose you could say he acted rather professional.”

Ace smiled softly. “But don’t worry about Luffy. You’ll know when he comes back, it should be another year or so, but he’ll make the headlines for sure.”

.xxx.

“You two talked for quite awhile.”

Marco had come down to the lower deck after Sabo had left.

“Yeah… we had a lot of catching up to do.” Ace was tired, but a good tired. He hadn’t had a conversation like that in awhile, but his energy levels were still so low, and it had been so emotionally taxing…

“Catching up?” Marco sat next to him, handing him a basket of food. “You know him yoi?”

“Yeah.” But despite the exhaustion, Ace knew that he was grinning ear to ear now. He took out a piece of bread. “…He’s my brother. You know… the one we thought we lost?” He took a bite and chewed on that while Marco chewed on that information. “He didn’t know. Well, at least until a few days ago. Amnesia after the accident. Apparently something Luffy’s dad said was the last trigger to the lock on his memories. And, since he had my vivre card he came to tell me first.”

Marco was quietly watching him as he explained all of this.

And Ace sighed, bringing his head back as he thought about it. About family and losing them and regaining them…

“Marco,” he said with a pause and looked the other man in the eyes, “we need to protect the Old Man’s treasure. I don’t want to lose any more family… I-I can’t…”

A warm hand was on his shoulder now, squeezing tightly.

“And that’s why, Ace, why you need to stay down here and recover. For now, I will do the protecting until you can fend for yourself, and then we can do it together. But we – I – need you to stay safe until then, okay? None of us want to lose family either.”

Ace sighed but begrudgingly nodded. “I know, I know, I just… I hate being a deadweight Marco…”

“Better a deadweight than dead.”

And while Ace agreed, pretending to be dead still fucking sucked.

#monkey d. luffy #lawlu #portgas d. ace #sabo the revolutionary #one piece #fanfic:boyhoodblues #petiteneko:story #onepiece #tlaw #luffy #sabo #ace #marco #and shippiness was not intended at the end #but alas #view as you wish

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petite-neko · 7 years

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Boyhood Blues - 03

Fanfiction: Boyhood Blues Story Summary: Actions, and inactions, have their repercussions. It may not be immediate but somewhere down the line, the effect will be seen. Chapter Characters: Sabo, Luffy, Ivankov, Sakazuki, Ace, Jinbei Pairing: LawLu Rating: T Warnings: Swearing, Universe Alteration, canon-typical violence, angst, A/N: LOOK I AM PRODUCTIVE TODAY. Please note: Mondays/Tuesdays might not be a staple time for posting by the way. I’ll just be ensuring that it’s posted on a weekly basis!

.xxx. > Time/scene skip

.+++. > PoV change

Read on Ao3

Chapter 2 || Chapter 3: Bonds || Chapter 4

The introduction had been brief, for Iva had taken him aside before informing him of everything that had happened so far. Ace’s vivre card, the happenings in Impel Down and their escape. It hadn’t been long until there was a tearful farewell to the man who had opened the gates for them. (One Sabo truly did not understand, merely because he had not known him. But, he didn’t like seeing Luffy cry like that.)

And after it was all said and done, Sabo just sat down, trying to understand everything. Because, simply, he didn’t. Why he was here. What it had to do with these two brothers. And why the hell he hated seeing Luffy doing anything but smile and laugh.

At the very least, he knew he could trust his instincts. It was what had gotten him into this mess in the first place…

“You weren’t in the prison, right?”

Sabo glanced up at that to see Luffy sitting next to him. He wasn’t frowning, but at the same time he wasn’t exactly smiling either. It really unnerved him.

“No, I wasn’t.” Sabo itched to get away. He had enough on his mind right now and he didn’t need Luffy just pestering him and looking at him like that. Couldn’t he just smile already?

“Then how’d you get on this ship? Did the Marines capture you? Iva said you were a revolutionary…” Well, he supposed the innocent curious expression on Luffy’s face was better than that neutral one.

Sabo sighed and shook his head. “No. I snuck aboard this ship and stowed away. I was hoping to end up at Marineford.” And then you went and commandeered this ship, which annoyed the hell out of me. He didn’t add the last point however, as it was moot considering that was their destination at hand.

“Really?”

When Sabo glanced at Luffy, all of his nerves unwound themselves. There. That was much better, the way that Luffy was looking at him, eyes practically glowing.

“Yeah, from what Iva told me, for the same reason as you.”

Luffy made some strange sound of happiness. “Really? How do you know Ace? I mean, I hadn’t seen him in three years so I don’t know all of his friends and.. ”

…Goodness he was just going off on tangents, wasn’t he?

“I don’t know Ace.”

And that put a complete halt in Luffy’s spiel. “…Huh?” He looked confused again, but still happy, and that was good enough for him he supposed.

“Don’t ask me why, but for some reason I can’t let this happen. It…it makes me angry. It turns my stomach I just…” He shook his head. “Let’s leave it at that, shall we? I can’t exactly explain why I am the way I am.”

It was just… fact. Luffy just didn’t know him or who he was or his past and while he didn’t think Luffy would understand hopefully he wouldn’t pry.

“Okay!”

…Huh?

“It’s just your instincts right? I understand that perfectly fine.” He was laughing now. “I don’t get why your instincts tell you to save Ace, but I’m happy they are.”

…Weirdo.

.xxx.

Luffy was currently telling him about Ace. Explaining what he looked like and his personality and his devil fruit and Sabo, well, he listened. He might as well learn just who this man was that he had decided to risk his life for.

“And, and then I met him in Alabasta! It was funny because he was waiting for me there but people forgot to tell me his message, but I met him anyway.” He laughed sheepishly. “That’s where he gave me this.” And Luffy pulled out a burning piece of paper from his hat. He made a sad expression before putting it back. “It was so nice to see him after three years. He invited me to his crew but of course I refused. The pirate king has to be the captain!”

There was more laughter, and yes, Sabo was more confident that this was how he liked to see Luffy. Smiling and laughing and just having fun. He’d question why later.

“And! Oh!” Now Luffy was grinning. “I showed him my prized possession.” Now, oh that grin had turned into this expression. It was just… so happy. “You see, my friend Vivi, she was secretly part of this organisation…” Then Luffy had a sour face, gesturing towards Crocodile. “And she had wanted posters and!” Luffy’s eyes lit up again as he returned to the topic at hand. “You see, there’s this really cool pirate and I have his wanted poster and Ace and I knew him as kids and I showed Ace!”

…This idiot was giddy. What the hell.

“And I met him a few days ago at the tree-islands and Torao has all these cool tattoos when he became a pirate! He’s got this cool beard too! And this really awesome-looking sword! And this bear and…”

…That wasn’t telling him anything Luffy. Nothing at all. And he wasn’t aware of any pirates named (or nicknamed) Torao either…. And Luffy was going on about just how cool this Torao character was…

He doubted they’d be getting back to the subject of Ace anytime soon…

.xxx.

More news came out about Luffy and Ace and Dragon however. How apparently Luffy and Ace were not brothers by blood, but by bond.

(It only made him remember that image of sake and the taste as it burned down his throat…)

What was it? And why?

Sabo sighed and just rested his head against a wall.

“Someving the matter, Sabo-boy?”

He opened his eyes to look up at Iva. “Headaches.” He explained, and truthfully, yes, he getting them in droves right now. Whenever that fog came in or certain things were said… And they just kept happening.

“Ah. Are vou vinking vhat I vink vou’re vinking Sabo-boy?” Iva said, gesturing towards Luffy.

…Now that Iva pointed it out, yeah, it was starting to make some sense…

“Vi vould suggest vou vait on vat Sabo-boy. Not vat Vi’m saying it’s not possible but…”

Sabo nodded. “He has enough on his mind right now.”

Iva nodded. “It’s highly possible, vou know. Vou both originated from East Blue after all.”

Not to mention, well… he doesn’t exactly remember it at all, and wouldn’t that be a slap in the face? No, let Luffy worry about Ace, and not some kid from his past whom he may or may not be.

.xxx.

This? It was war. Completely and utterly, and those damn Marines had the upper hand with Ace in sea-stone cuffs. And after hearing that this publicity was all over the fact of who Ace’s biological father was, well it only ignited that fury within him even more. In fact, it was almost blinding, that anger. He had to save Ace, he had to save Ace. He couldn’t let the Marines have him.

And he fought. Luffy fought. They all fought. Many fell, allies and foes alike.

(All of this, over a fucking bloodline!)

Here the Marines were, demonising these two brothers based on who their fathers were. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t righteous. Not one bit of it. And finally when they achieved hope, when Ace was freed and on the run…

Sakazuki descended, and he attacked. Not only with lava, but with words.

Sabo saw it coming. They all probably did. Except Ace. (Or if he did, he didn’t care.)

Ace refused to keep running, and Luffy was trying to convince him to continue. Begging him. Telling him that this wasn’t what Whitebeard wanted and Sakazuki was just goading him on and they needed to leave.

(The others were too preoccupied with the other admirals. He needed to get there, it wasn’t boding good. Not with Luffy’s condition, or Ace’s temper…)

And he saw it. Saw the way Sakazuki had aimed his molten fist towards Luffy. Saw the way that Ace had stepped in the way to protect his younger brother… Saw as red exploded everywhere. Fire. Lava. Blood. Saw the fist as it impaled Ace… Saw Luffy as he tilted back, screaming to the heavens...

He saw Ace die.

He saw Luffy break.

(No… no, his mind screamed. No!)

The shock shook him and brought him back to the present. And he watched… Watched as Sakazuki brought his fist back…

“NO!” Sabo screamed as he charged towards the admiral with a haki-infused claw. Anything. Anything. He needed to stop him from killing Ace…

And Sabo diverted Sakazuki’s attack.

He heard Ace’s scream of pain, and Luffy’s strangled cries of worry, but he had to ignore it for now. No. He needed to keep Sakazuki handled, he couldn’t let this… this monster harm these brothers anymore.

“Another revolutionary?” The man of magma spat at him. “How dare you…”

Sabo hardened his gaze on the admiral. “You will not harm these brothers!” He channelled all of his fury at this man. The man who hunted down Luffy and Ace. The man who tried – and almost succeeded – in killing them.

(He could hear sobbing and muttering behind him. In fact, he heard his name muttered, but whether or not they were referring to him or the other Sabo, he wasn’t too certain.)

He didn’t allow himself to be distracted, no. He used his Haki to disrupt the magma from seeping behind him. God dammit, couldn’t somebody just fucking grab them already?

(He heard the sound of a body hitting the ground and a heartbreaking scream ripple out into the air. What happened? Fuck. what happened?)

“I’ve got them now! Ace is still alive!”

(…That was Jinbei. Oh, thank god...)

Chaos, it was chaos everywhere, and in his relief, that damned Sakazuki broke away from him, and began to chase after the fishman carrying the two unconscious brothers away.

Bastard.

He was able to spare a glance at Ace finally, and the sight was not pretty. If he didn’t see a doctor soon… (And if he hadn’t diverted Sakazuki’s blast…)

Sabo narrowed his sights on the admiral once more… He couldn’t let that bastard win.

#monkey d. luffy #lawlu #portgas d. ace #sabo the revolutionary #one piece #fanfic:boyhoodblues #petiteneko:story #onepiece #tlaw #luffy #sabo #ace

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